Algal crust formation in the inland dune area,Laarder Wasmeer,the Netherlands

The aim of this study is to acquire insight in the initial vegetation development on active drifting sands in relation to geomorphological processes. For this purpose the algal vegetation and surface dynamics were monitored on a sand hill with active drifting sand, and on a bare slope within a terrain covered with Polytrichum piliferum located in the Laarder Wasmeer (The Netherlands).There is a successional development from an algal community dominated by the cyanobacterium Oscillatoria spp., through the crust in which initially the green alga Klebsormidium and later the cyanobacterium Synechococcus predominates, eventually succeeded by the green alga Zygogonium ericetorum. In this phase the sand is stabilized. The areal extent of algal crusts on the active drifting sand area is greatest during the winter, contrastingly highest biomass values are found during the summer and autumn in mature Zygogonium crusts.Substrate instability due to the action of wind clearly limits algal growth and vegetational development on the sand hill. The algal crust seldom reaches the stage of maturity. Near-flat ground is more easily stabilized. Unlike the algae found in coastal dune area and the initial pioneers in the Laarder Wasmeer area, the Zygogonium crust is water repellent when dry. Consequently increasing surface stability by algal crust development is accompanied by higher surface runoff on sloping areas.     

Two new Cocconeis taxa (Bacillariophyceae) from coral sands off the Mascarenes (Western Indian Ocean) and some related unidentified taxa

Coral sands off Réunion Island and Rodrigues (Mascarene archipelago, Western Indian Ocean) support diverse diatom communities, particularly rich in Monoraphidineae. Recent surveys of reef environments (June 2005 and June 2007) permitted the recognition of several taxa belonging to the diatom genus Cocconeis, among which are two new, relatively small taxa, epipsammic on coral sand. Cocconeis coronata Riaux-Gobin et Romero sp. nov. is similar to C. scutellum but has its own distinctive features. In external view, the concave raphe valve possesses uniseriate striae and a subsident hyaline marginal rim, while the strongly convex sternum valve has a submarginal, generally continuous crest, a hexagonal pattern of areolation, short, rounded spines that are often regularly arranged around valve face areolae, a complex areola hymen and small marginal chambers. Some morphometric differences were noted between the populations of C. coronata at Réunion and Rodrigues. Cocconeis margaritata Riaux-Gobin et Al-Handal, sp. nov. is smaller, possesses a sternum valve like that of C. placentula and C. neothumensis, but has denser striation and small pearl-like concretions around the areola aperture on the sternum valve. Several other taxa that resemble, or may be varieties of, C. margaritata require further study before being formally described. Cocconeis margaritata and C. coronata are small and relatively rare, so their study requires scanning electron microscopy.     

Effects of cover soil stockpiling on plant community development following reclamation of oil sands sites in Alberta

Stockpiling of cover soil can influence vegetation development following reclamation. Cover soil, comprising the upper 15–30 cm of the surface material on sites scheduled for mining, is commonly salvaged prior to mining and used directly or stockpiled for various lengths of time until it is needed. Salvaging and stockpiling causes physical, chemical, and biological changes in cover soils. In particular, stockpiling reduces the availability and vigor of vegetative propagules and seed, and can lead to increases in the abundance of some weedy species. This study uses data from monitoring plots to assess how stockpiling of cover soil impacts plant community development on reclaimed oil sands mine sites in northern Alberta. Development of plant communities differed distinctly between directly placed and stockpiled cover soil treatments even 18 years after reclamation. Direct placement of cover soil resulted in higher percent cover, species richness, and diversity. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling and multiresponse permutation procedure revealed compositional differentiation between the treatments. Indicator species analysis showed that direct placement treatment was dominated by perennial species while grasses and annual forb species dominated sites where stockpiled soil was used. Results indicate that stockpiling leads to slower vegetation recovery while direct placement of cover soil supports more rapid succession (from ruderal and annual communities to perennial communities). In addition, direct placement may be less costly than stockpiling. However, scheduling of salvage and placement remains a challenge.     

Mycorrhizal inoculum potentials of pure reclamation materials and revegetated tailing sands from the Canadian oil sand industry

Recent improvements in the management of oil sand tailings used by the Canadian oil sand industry have resulted in the production of composite tailing sands (CT): a new challenging material for reclamation work. Jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.), hybrid poplar (Populus deltoides Bartr. ex Marsh. ×Populus nigra L.) and red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) plants were used in an 8-week greenhouse bioassay to evaluate the mycorrhizal inoculum potential of CT. This inoculum potential was compared with that of three other reclamation materials [common tailing sands (TS), deep overburden (OB) and muskeg peat (MK)], and with three sites reclaimed in 1982 (R82), 1988 (R88) and 1999 (R99). CT was devoid of active mycorrhizal propagules while all other materials showed some level of inoculum potential. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi were observed on roots of clover or poplar grown in TS, OB, and all substrates containing peat (MK, R82, R88 and R99). Pine roots were also colonized by vesicle-forming hyphae of an unidentified fine endophyte and by dark septate fungi. Ectomycorrhizas (ECM) were observed on pine and poplar grown in OB, MK, and in soils from the two older reclaimed sites (R82 and R88). Using morpho- and molecular typing, six ECM fungi were identified to the genus or species level: Laccaria sp., Thelephora americana, Wilcoxina sp. (E-strain), Tuber sp. (I-type), a Sebacinoid, and a Pezizales species. Laccaria sp. and Wilcoxina sp. were the most frequently observed ECM species.     

沙地柏对除叶干扰的生理和生长响应

为了研究沙地柏对模拟自然干扰的生理和生长响应,在毛乌素沙地对它进行了人为除叶为处理的模拟山羊啃食,虫害实验,结果表明,除叶干扰通过改变生理指标峰值出现的时间影响日动态,并显著影响生理指标的日平均值,除叶干扰对当年生枝生物量分配的影响不明显,但显著影响其生长特征。除叶干扰的最终效应受干扰方式和强度的双重制约,不同生理,生长指标对除叶干扰的敏感性存在差异,如净光合速率和腾速率,除干扰具有补偿效应,尤其是除老叶,因此适度剪除2年生以下枝条上的叶可促进当年生枝的生长和生物量积累。     

毛乌素沙地3种优势植物对模拟降水量变化的水分平衡研究(英文)

未来全球变化 ,尤其降水变化的进一步加剧 ,将对毛乌素沙地陆地生态系统分布格局和生产力带来巨大影响。为了预测未来变化 ,提出合理的对应策略 ,实验选择毛乌素沙地 3种优势灌木、半灌木为研究对象 ,人工控制 4种降水量水平来探讨水分平衡对全球降水量变化的响应。结果表明 ,沙地蓄水量和不同沙层深度含水量季节变化明显受到不同施水量和 3种植物种类的影响。 3种植物沙地蓄水量和不同深度沙层含水量随着施水量的增加逐渐增大 ,并且不同施水量和植物沙地含水量随深度增加逐渐增大。在同一施水量处理下的蓄水量和同一深度含水量均大体为杨柴 (HedysarummongolicumTurcz.) >沙柳 (SalixpsammophilaC .WangetCh .Y .Yang) >油蒿 (Artemisiaordosi caKrasch .) ;3种植物的蒸发量和蒸腾量季节变化明显受到施水量的影响。随着施水量的增加 ,即 15 7 5、315 0、472 5和 6 30 0mm ,蒸发总量依次为 12 3.6 6、2 5 8.6 8、376 .30、45 8.5 7mm ;蒸腾总量 ,油蒿分别为 5 0 .80、6 8.93、10 8.39、16 3.36mm ;沙柳分别为 47.37、6 8.17、93.6 5、135 .97mm ;杨柴分别为 46 .73、6 7.37,86 .0 7、10 9.6 4mm。蒸发量显著大于蒸腾量     

Testate amoeba records indicate regional 20th‐century lowering of water tables in ombrotrophic peatlands in central‐northern Alberta,Canada

Testate amoebae are abundant in the surface layers of northern peatlands. Analysis of their fossilized shell (test) assemblages allows for reconstructions of local water‐table depths (WTD). We have reconstructed WTD dynamics for five peat cores from peatlands ranging in distance from the Athabasca bituminous sands (ABS) region in western Canada. Amoeba assemblages were combined with plant macrofossil records, acid‐insoluble ash (AIA) fluxes and instrumental climate data to identify drivers for environmental change. Two functional traits of testate amoebae, mixotrophy and the tendency to integrate xenogenic mineral matter in test construction, were quantified to infer possible effects of AIA flux on testate amoeba presence. Age–depth models showed the cores each covered at least the last ~315 years, with some spanning the last millennium. Testate amoeba assemblages were likely affected by permafrost development in two of the peatlands, yet the most important shift in assemblages was detected after 1960 CE. This shift represents a significant apparent lowering of water tables in four out of five cores, with a mean drop of ~15 cm. Over the last 50 years, assemblages shifted towards more xerophilous taxa, a trend which was best explained by increasing Sphagnum s. Acutifolia and, to a lesser extent, mean summer temperature. This trend was most evident in the two cores from the sites located farthest away from the ABS region. AIA flux variations did not show a clear effect on mineral‐agglutinating taxa, nor on S. s. Acutifolia presence. We therefore suggest the drying trend was forced by the establishment of S. s. Acutifolia, driven by enhanced productivity following regional warming. Such recent apparent drying of peatlands, which may only be reconstructed by appropriate indicators combined with high chronological control, may affect vulnerability to future burning and promote emissions of CO₂.     

Influence of climatic conditions and industrial emissions on spruce tree-ring Pb isotopes analyzed at ppb concentrations in the Athabasca oil sands region

This study investigates Pb isotope ratios at low concentrations (parts per billion; ppb) in tree rings and soils in the Northern Athabasca Oil Sands Region (NAOSR), western Canada, to evaluate if: (1) climatic conditions influence on tree-ring Pb assimilation; and (2) such low Pb content allows inferring the regional Pb depositional history.Our results reflect the influence of winter snow cover and the importance of minimum temperature and precipitation in spring and summer on the bioavailability of Pb and its passive assimilation by trees in sub-arctic semi-humid climatic conditions. Winter conditions can influence the state of root systems that subsequently impacts the following growth period, while spring and summer conditions likely control microbial processes and water source, and may thus impact Pb assimilation by trees. Thus, the results of tree-ring Pb concentrations show interesting correlation with cumulated snow from November of the previous year to February (ρ = 0.53; P < 0.01; n = 36). Likewise, the ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁷Pb ratios inversely correlate with minimum temperature from April to September (ρ = −0.67; P < 0.01; n = 40) and precipitation from May to August (ρ = −0.42; P < 0.01; n = 36). The isotopic results also suggest that the effects of climatic variations are superimposed by regional industrial Pb deposition: Western North American Aerosols (WNAA) and fugitive dust from the oil sands mining operations appear to be the most likely sources.Importantly, this study suggests that even at low Pb concentrations, tree-ring Pb isotopes are modulated by climatic conditions and potential input of regional and long-range transport of airborne Pb. These interpretations open the possibility of using Pb isotopes as an environmental tool for inferring the pollution history in remote regions, and improving our understanding of its natural cycle through the forest environment.     

毛乌素沙地若干植物光合作用,蒸腾作用和水分利用效率种间及生境间差异

报道了内蒙古毛乌素沙地不同生境下66种不同科属植物的光合作用、蒸腾作用和水分利用效率特征。这几种生境包括流动沙丘、固定沙丘、滩地和湿地,所分布的植物与表现的生理生态特征不同。研究结果表明:藜科、禾本科、豆科等具有C4光合碳同化途径或具固氮能力的植物具有较高的光合能力,其净光合速率20～30μmolCO2·m-2·s-1;而松柏科的常绿植物具最低的光合速率,0～5μmolCO2·m-2·s-1。菊科、玄参科、禾本科等具C3途径和无固氮能力的植物蒸腾作用最高,为20～30mmolH2O·m-2·s-1;松柏科、杨柳科和菊科的个别植物蒸腾速率很低,为0～5mmolH2O·m-2·s-1。豆科、禾本科和藜科中具C4光合途径或固氮能力的一些植物(灌木或草本植物)具有较高的水分利用效率。然而,植物的这些生理生态指标随不同季节和生境表现出不同的特点,在晚夏季所测的净光合速率、蒸腾速率分别比初夏季高26%和40%,而水分利用效率下降12%。从总体趋势来看,随着生境沿着由湿到干的不同水分供应等级,如从湿地、滩地、固定沙丘至流动沙丘,光合作用和蒸腾作用呈现减弱的趋势,而水分利用效率则呈现升高的趋势